Abstract

We have studied the nucleation and growth of Se–Te nanowires (NWs), with different
morphologies, grown by a chemical solution process. Through systematic characterization
of the Se–Te NW morphology as a function of the Te nanocrystallines (NCs) precursor,
the relative ratio between Se and Te, and the growth time, a number of significant
insights into Se–Te NW growth by chemical solution processes have been developed.
Specifically, we have found that: (i) the growth of Se–Te NWs can be initiated from
either long or short triganol Te nanorods, (ii) the frequency of proximal interactions
between nanorod tips and the competition between Se and Te at the end of short Te
nanorods results in V-shaped structures of Se–Te NWs, the ratio between Se and Te
having great effect on the morphology of Se–Te NWs, (iii) by using long Te nanorods
as seeds, Se–Te NWs with straight morphology were obtained. Many of these findings
on Se–Te NW growth can be further generalized and provide very useful information
for the rational synthesis of group VI based semiconductor NW compounds.